U.S Rep. Paul Kanjorski can't seem to catch a break. The 11th District Democrat has twice been put on the defensive over less-than-flattering videos --- one where he is addressing a town hall, the other where he is confronted by an angry constituent -- in the past two months. He's been the subject of a Fox News feature on controversial earmarks. And he's been singled out by Charlie Cook as the lone Democrat whose odds of reelection are getting dimmer.

Now comes more bad news for the 12-term lawmaker, who is in a tough reelection battle with Republican Lou Barletta. The Hill reports today that the Department of Transportation is refusing to move forward on a $5.6 million earmark that Kanjorski had inserted into the 2005 appropriations bill. The money was to be spent building a parking garage for the Kanjorski Center in Nanticoke.

The department said the garage doesn't meet federal rules intended to spur the use of public transportation.

Here's Kanjorski's response: "It became clear from discussions that I had between local officials and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials that some clarifying language was necessary for a few of the projects that I requested funding for in order to meet the local needs."